A MULTI-THREADED STAR

WOODY ANDERSON; Courant Staff WriterTHE HARTFORD COURANT

Sure, baseball is first this summer for Josh McCurdy. But when he leaves Willimantic next month after the New England Collegiate Baseball League season, he'll pack more than baseball memories for the trip home to Thornhill, Ontario.

"I'm expanding more as a person," he said.

Don't take the Thread City center fielder literally. He's 6 feet 6, 210 pounds, and one of the fastest players in the NECBL, with a potent arm and one of the top batting averages. He'll be on the American team for the ninth NECBL All-Star Game today at 5 p.m. at Eastern Connecticut State University.

When he says expanding, McCurdy is talking about character, dealing with kids, senior citizens, evolving as a role model and, oh, yes, trying to get to the major leagues.

A lot can happen in one summer.

"He's worked hard for us," Thread City general manager Al Garray said. "Every time we ask [for someone] to go to a senior center or Little League camp, he's the first one with his hand up. He's blossomed."

The players in the 12-team, wooden-bat league play 42 games in 54 days. That means they are either on a bus or playing baseball.

"You get to be a little bit more independent," McCurdy said. "This is probably the closest you come to being in a pro league without being in one. It has all the same elements, being on your own and playing every day."

McCurdy, who will be a senior at Niagara next season, hasn't had much time to himself. He worked at the four Thread City-sponsored camps for kids ages 8 to 15 and was something of a Pied Piper.

When Susi was looking for someone to go to McSweeney Regional Senior Center in town, he knew McCurdy would be the one. At the center, McCurdy listened to long-ago stories about the Polo Grounds and the 1961 season.

"It was almost like a history lesson," McCurdy said. "They just want someone to talk to. My little time there gives them something to talk about for the next month."

To keep scouts talking about him, McCurdy will have to add strength and show more power.

Susi said McCurdy is a coach's dream.

"He comes every day early. He's the first one to put the batting cage up. He's very polite and tries to soak everything in," Susi said. "Some kids don't feel it's an honor to be in this league and you get attitudes once in a while. Josh came out of nowhere and is honored to be here, and he makes the most of it. I wish I had 23 of him."

McCurdy leads Thread City in batting average (.288), hits (30) and RBI (11). He's a line-drive hitter, making him more suited for wooden bats.

Although Thread City has the league's worst record (8-23), McCurdy is enjoying his summer. Coming from the Toronto area, he's having his first experience in small New England towns and their many back roads.